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6. (a) Whether the extension of the practice on the part of freezing companies of entering into the wholesale and retail butchery trade is desirable, ami to what extent this practice affects the operations of abattoirs maintained by local authorities wider the Meat Act, 19?/). I am in agreement with such portion of the majority report as deals with freezing companies operating in the retail trade, but disagree with the paragraphs on wholesaling operations, where it is stated that " no evidence was produced to show that monopoly was imminent or for that matter contemplated." The graph which was submitted to the Commission by the manager of the Auckland Municipal Abattoirs shows clearly that export or freezing companies operations have been extended over the past eight years. This extension has been shown as an increase of 19 per cent, of abattoir fees paid by export-house wholesalers to the Auckland City Treasury, in total equivalent in 1947-48 to 41 per cent, of the carcass meat sold in Auckland. Similar figures were submitted by the Municipal Association of New Zealand (Inc.) and showed that current abattoir killings at Wellington were reduced by 33 per cent, in beef and 32 per cent, in mutton as against pre-war killings. These reductions in abattoir killings are primarily due to export and freezing company wholesalers' activities and must indicate that securement of at least a major portion of the local wholesale trade must be of interest to these Companies. It is apparent that with the present growing tendency on the part of retailers to purchase carcass meats and the continued extension of wholesale operations at a similar rate over a similar number of years on almost complete monopoly of the wholesale trade in Auckland and probably the other metropolitan areas, will have been established by these Companies. I cannot agree with the statement " that no positive action is required at the present time, but is one that requires watching by the appropriate authorities," but contend that the position is such that it should be investigated by the appropriate authority and, if necessary, action taken to check any monopolistic trend that would jeopardize the financial stability of the abattoir undertakings. I am in agreement with the second portion of the question as contained in the majority report which refers to the effect of such wholesale operations upon the operations of the municipal abattoirs, but would add the following recommendations : That the abattoirs, where considered advisable by the appropriate authority, are modernized and equipped to the standard of meat-processing works to include the necessary ancillary by-products plant, rather than left as slaughterhouses, before such lease or delegation of authority be given to the master butchers who by their subsequent operations should be able to recover a substantial portion of wholesale trade to the abattoir and so ensure the financial stability of the abattoir and ancillary undertakings. 6. (b) And generally upon other matters affecting producers, wholesalers, retailers, and consumers of meat or affecting one or more of such classes of persons as may come to our notice in the course of our inquiries and which we consider should be the subject of opinions expressed by us in our report. By-products. —I agree with the reply as contained in the majority report under this heading, provided that such by-product activities would be an integral part, of the operations of a modernized abattoir and would operate as ancillary to the abattoir. Grading.—l am in agreement with the statements contained in the majority report under the above heading, up to and including the recommendation that the proposal for the introduction of a super grade of beef should be passed to the Meat Grades Committee for their consideration, but I strongly oppose the suggestion that this class of beef should be classified as a parallel to early lamb and should not be subject to pricecontrol during the winter period,

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